Are you happening to things?

“…people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” – Leonardo da Vinci

I saw that or something just like that on a little inspirational poster somewhere lately and liked it. It seems to be a much more upbeat and positive thing to be out there happening to things than to be sitting back and waiting for things to happen to you. It’s also better advice than just being ready to react when something happens to you or in your life. I’ve written a few times about handling problems or crises in our lives, but that is still a reactive thing and not a pro-active thing as is suggested by today’s quote from da Vinci. Are you happening to things?

The thoughts that one conjures up when you think about going out and happening to things are images of power and control, of planning and execution and of guiding one’s own destiny. One can’t really get to those thoughts without also giving some thoughts to what it is you want, where it is that you want to go, and the goals that you are striving for. When you are comfortable with those issues and plans and know where you are going you can swing into action. Are you happening to things?

Successful people also spend a little thought time on looking at the alternate outcomes of what you are about to make happen. They visualize what is to happen and “see” themselves in a successful outcome. They spend a little time considering alternate outcomes and how to react to them; but truly successful people seldom let themselves get bogged down in over analyzing the situation at hand. Rather than expending much energy on planning for failure, successful people put their efforts into making success happen. Are you happening to things?

Among the goals of most people are the inner personal relationships that they want or need to have in order to achieve success. Those may be relationships at work or of a more personal nature; and those relationships start by something happening – a chance meeting or a planned introduction. In either case, successful people always take the initiative; they don’t sit back and wait for it to happen; they thrust out their hands first and introduce themselves; they happen to the other parties in the meeting. Are you happening to things?

So, in the week ahead, try to take da Vinci’s advice. Don’t wait for things to happen to you. Go out and happen to people and things. I think you’ll end up liking the things and people that start happening to you, too. Are you happening to things?